Why I Am Currently Doing 5/3/1 For Strength And Longevity
February 13th 2020
If you are a beginner, you might be wondering what kind of results you could get from 5/3/1.
While all lifters start off at different strength levels, we can all find a common ground when we are faced to handle a weight that has not been done before.
We need to face our challenges head-on.
So, without keeping you waiting, here are my 5/3/1 results so far.
My 5/3/1 results
Though I am not a beginner, I often treat myself like one.
I am constantly learning and want to improve as often as I could.
However, when you have been training for years, you know that if you improve each session, some of the following things might happen:
- You succeed but face even tougher challenges. You are forced to eat more and gain more bodyweight
- You succeed and go to hit harder weights. You choose not to eat and plateau
- You get injured trying to push your limits. You need to tweak all your programs in order to continue training hard.
- Slowly push your limits, but you will not see results for weeks, months or even years
For me, I no longer see that it is worth it to gain more weight for strength.
10lbs would be the max I should gain in order to be “competitive” with other lifters.
Plus, I have bulked up to 190lbs before and it was not a great experience for me.
If I can and have the opportunity to go for a once in a lifetime record, I know I have the willpower to eat more and bulk up.
But for the everyday grind, I am unwilling to put myself through that.
This led me to the 5/3/1 philosophy and if you do not have the book, you are missing out on a lot of the explanations and alternative 5/3/1 leaders and anchors that can better fit your schedule.
View it as an investment for lifelong learning.
First cycle of 5/3/1, first program
I ran it with an online calculator because I was skeptical.
I read about its low volume and how it is not very good for powerlifting.
At the time, my goals were to get the biggest squat, bench press and deadlift I can.
This program seemed to not promise that.
However, I was making my own program and recently failed to hit any PRs after doing a mock meet for myself.
I thought I was getting weaker and I felt a bit lost with no guidance.
So, I was desperate to try something new and I found 5/3/1.
What I did not know is how much the 5/3/1 philosophy aligned with my own, to lift for a long time and to make progress so that you do not get injured.
If you are a beginner, you might be wondering what kind of results you could get from 5/3/1. ]]>